Scheduling: Requests

This article is part of the Scheduling Module training. Click here for more information on the Scheduling Module

In the scheduling module employees and managers can communicate about requests for shift trades, drops, time off, and claiming an unassigned shift. This can be done both in the mobile app and from the web browser. Each function will be described below and differences between mobile and web will be pointed out.

Request alerts are sent view email or text or both, depending on the Preferred Contact Method field on the employee record. For manager alerts, the employee who receives those is the person entered in the Location Manager field on the location record.

Time Off

Employees can request time off to the manager for specific dates and times that they want off. As part of the time off request they can also provide a comment for the reason they need the time off.

The flow for time off requests:

Submitted by the employee

In mobile app this is under Request List and then “+ Time Off” button in top right of screen

In web app this is in the top ribbon under Scheduling – Time Off Request

System sends auto-alert to inform the manager of the request

Manager approves or denies the request in one of the following ways

Click link in the alert and this will take you to a screen where you can Approve/Deny and also enter a comment

Open the request from the Request List in the mobile app or the web app and click on the Request tab and choose Approve or Deny and enter a comment if desired

In the web app on the schedule calendar screen, click the shift to open it and go to the Request tab

System sends auto-alert to inform employee of manager’s decision

Shift Drop

Employees can request to drop a shift assigned to them, meaning it will no longer be assigned to them but will be an open shift to be filled by someone else. As part of the request they can also provide a comment for the reason they want to drop the shift.

The flow for shift drop requests:

Submitted by the employee

In mobile app the Employee navigates to the ‘Shifts’ list and clicks on the desired shift, upon loading the Employee clicks on the the ‘Request’ tab and clicks the Drop button. Optionally, the Employee can provide a reason for requesting to Drop a shift in the ‘Request Comments’ section of the Request.

In web app they go to the schedule calendar by selecting Schedule in the left hand navigation and then double click a shift to open it and go to the Request tab and click the Drop button (and providea reason if desired).

System sends auto-alert to inform the manager of the request

Manager approves or denies the request in one of the following ways

Click link in the alert and this will take you to a screen where you can Approve/Deny and also enter a comment

Open the request from the Request List in the mobile app or the web app and click on the Request tab and choose Approve or Deny and enter a comment if desired

In the web app on the schedule calendar screen, click the shift to open it and go to the Request tab

If the drop was approved, then the Alert Employees button will show so they can alert others who might claim the shift. More details on Open Shifts are described in that section of this training below.

System sends auto-alert to inform employee of manager’s decision

Shift Trade

Employees can request to trade a shift assigned to them with a different employee and swap for their shift. The other employee has to agree and it must be a shift both employees are qualified to work. As part of the request they can also provide a comment for the reason associated with the shift trade.

In mobile app the Employee navigates to the ‘Shifts’ list and clicks on the desired shift, upon loading the Employee clicks on the the ‘Request’ tab and clicks the Trade button. This will open a list of shifts they might trade with where they can select the desired shift and click Trade. Optionally, the Employee can provide a reason for requesting to Trade a shift in the ‘Request Comments’ section of the Request.

In web app they go to the schedule calendar by selecting Schedule in the left hand navigation and then double click a shift to open it and go to the Request tab and click the Trade button, select the shift they want to trade with, and provide a reason if desired.

System sends auto-alert to inform Employee 2 of the request to trade

Employee 2 accepts or rejects the trade

This is done most easily by clicking the link in the alert message and then clicking Accept or Reject

If rejected the system sends auto-alert back to Employee 1 that trade proposal was rejected and the proces ends

If accepted the system sends auto-alert to inform the manager that both employees have agreed to a shift trade and it needs approval

Manager approves or denies the request in one of the following ways

Click link in the alert and this will take you to a screen where you can Approve/Deny and also enter a comment

Open the request from the Request List in the mobile app or the web app and click on the Request tab and choose Approve or Deny and enter a comment if desired

In the web app on the schedule calendar screen, click the shift to open it and go to the Request tab

System sends auto-alert to inform both employees of manager’s decision

Unassigned Shifts

When a manager creates a shift without assigning an employee, that is an unassigned shift to be claimed. They can alert employees of the shift and they can claim it with manager approval.

The flow for unassigned shifts :

The manager creates a shift but doesn’t assign an employee or the manager approves a shift drop request which makes it an unassigned shift

If desired, the manager can send out an alert to specific employees about the open shift. There is a button on the unassigned shift where the manager can alert potential employees of the available shift as an optional step. Pressing this button pulls up the list of eligible employees where the manager can select the employees they want to alert.

An employee claims the unassigned shift

The easiest way is by clicking the alert if the manager sent one and this will take them to a screen where they click Claim

In mobile app they go to the Shifts list and to the Unassigned Shifts tab (button at the bottom of the screen) and swipe left on the shift and select the Claim button. They can also click on the shift to open it, go to the Request tab click the Claim button.

In web app they go to the schedule calendar by selecting Schedule in the left hand navigation and then double click a shift to open it from the Unassigned Shift row and go to the Request tab and click the Claim button.

System sends auto-alert to inform the manager of the claim request

Manager approves or denies the request in one of the following ways

Click link in the alert and this will take you to a screen where you can Approve/Deny and also enter a comment

Open the request from the Request List in the mobile app or the web app and click on the Request tab and choose Approve or Deny and enter a comment if desired

In the web app on the schedule calendar screen, click the shift to open it and go to the Request tab